NATURAL RESOURCE ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN PORTUGAL

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies   

 The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries is responsible for agriculture and rural development.

IHERA’s attributions are related to:

• Member of the technical joint commission for the transposition of the Directive
• Member of the technical joint commission for the designation of vulnerable zones. At present 3 zones: Aquifer of Esposende, Aquifer of Aveiro, Aquifer of Campina de Faro
• Elaborating the "Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Water" in co-operation with other institutions of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Portugal 
• Promoting "Actions Programmes", including formation and information initiatives to farmers and technicians, and publication of relevant information on the subject of "Good Agricultural Practice"
• Participation in the research project entitled "Methodologies for Preservation of Groundwater Quality"– The study case of "Apartadura" irrigation scheme". The purpose of this project is to develop a risk assessment methodology for preventing groundwater from nitrate contamination of agriculture sources;
• Participation on the licensing process for the use of reclaimed water for irrigation, according the establishment of the National Law Nｺ236/98;
• Participation on the "CT90 Standardisation Technical Commission" for the elaboration of "reuse of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation standards";
• Involvement on the analysis of the "National River Basin Plans" and "National Water Plan" promoted by the Portuguese Water Institute;
• Making of "Environmental Impacts Studies" concerning irrigation and land consolidation projects.

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations 

Portugal has forced legislation to reduce the use of productive land for others purposes that are not the agriculture, i.e. urbanization and industry. The use of lands for these purposes requires a specific authorization of the Environment and Land Planning Ministry based on the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries.

There is a specific legislation for the use of existing pesticides, which sets the rules and best procedures for promoting integrated pest management and control in agriculture. Within the application of agro-environmental measures several measures obliged the farmers to use pests adequately and in a limited way, namely the integrated production and the biological agriculture. In the period of 1994-99 around 5.000 farmers applied to them covering approximately an area of 54.000 hectares.

• Periods when the land application of fertilizer is inappropriate;
• Land application of fertilizer to steeply sloping ground;
• Land application of fertilizer to water-satured, flooded, frozen or snow-covered ground;
• Conditions for land application of fertilizer near water courses;
• Capacity and construction of storage vessels for livestock manures, including measures to prevent water from running-off and seepage into groundwater and surface water of liquids containing livestock manures and effluent from stored plant materials such as silage;
• Procedures for the land application, including rate and uniformity of spreading of both chemical fertilizer and livestock manure that will maintain nutrient losses to water at an acceptable level;
• Land use management, including the use of crop rotation systems and the proportion of land devoted to permanent crops relative to annual tillage crops;
• The maintenance of a minimum quantity of vegetation covering the ground during (rainy) periods for to take up the nitrogen from the soil that could otherwise cause nitrate pollution of water;
• Establishment of fertilizer plans on a farm-by-farm basis and the keeping of records on fertilizer use;
• Prevention of water pollution from run-off and downward movement beyond the reach of crop roots in irrigation systems.

The environmental benefits resulting from the use of renewable energies for electricity production were internalized by the creation of the "tarifa verde" ("green tariff"), recently contained in the enactment of Decree-Law no. 168/99 of 18^th May. The item of legislation in question took environmental protection considerations into account in addition to the commitments in respect of the limiting of gaseous emissions, particularly CO₂, assumed in the Kyoto Protocol.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans  

The policy concerning the protection of water from pollution of agricultural sources, in which IHERA is involved relates to: Application of the EU Nitrate Directive (91/976/CEE).

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

There is a National and Regional Council for Agriculture in Portugal where all major groups and NGO's are represented. The farmers associations are called to comment the major measures for agriculture policy. These measures require the farmers' sensibilization in order to promote sustainable practices for agriculture that should be environmental friendly (see also under "programmes and Projects").

  Portugal has a National and Regional Council for Agriculture where all major groups and NGOs are represented. The farmers associations are called to comment the major measures for agriculture policy. These measures require the farmers' sensibilization in order to promote sustainable practices for agriculture that should be environmental friendly.

Programmes and Projects 

There are measures to enable the nature conservation and the protection of genetic resources. These agro-environmental measures are grouped into the following main topics:

• Environment, soil and water protection and improvement (ten measures)
• Landscape and traditional characteristics of arable land conservation (six measures)
• Preservation of cultivated area with natural and historical great value (eleven measures)
• Protection of residual areas in natural ecosystems, particularly in concerning agricultural landscape (five measures)
• Protection of biodiversity (two measures)

Portugal aims at preservation of the multifunctional character of agriculture and land use through the EU initiative LEADER. In this scope the rural development is promoted through various activities such as rural tourism, handicraft, the support of small rural industries and the promotion of traditional, regional and local products.

Until the end of 1999 there were several working projects established, namely:

In relation to the drainage projects, 67 902 hectares of drainage works were completed in 1996.. However some works are expected to finish during 1999 and these will benefit 6 200 hectares in the Central region (river "Tagus") and 12 000 hectares in the Northern region (river "Vouga").

Bearing in mind the need to carry out a territorial employment approach, Regional Employment Networks were created to decentralize issues; identify actions as well as projects to be developed as an immediate response to locally identified employment problems. Another purpose is to create dynamic and effective local partnerships and introduce innovative practices for each territory.

Within the scope of the National Programme to Eradicate Poverty approximately 200 pluri-annual local management projects are in progress. The financial endowment of these Programmes was increased by 455 and their operating rules were revised to adjust this instrument to the aims of effective combat against the phenomena of concentration of the risk factors of poverty and social exclusion. The projects in progress, which are also local development processes, are intended to invest in the population and its potential to achieve projects to improve quality of life in urban and rural areas, to perform territorial intervention for a realistic approach to local development and involve various partners in their individual expert specificity (vide also answer to LEADER initiative).

Status 

The Portuguese agriculture is characterized by the preponderance of extensive production systems with a low use of inputs. Most of these systems are sustainable concerning the environment. Nevertheless their economic viability is reduced. The extensive production systems are mainly located in less unprotected regions with adverse climatic conditions, low capacity of land use and disadvantageous topography. The modernization and the viability of these production systems are not easy to implement. This is the reason for a significant abandon of land uses in the inland country. The support to the extensive production systems is previewed on the Community Policy for Agriculture and also in the scope of agro-environmental measures through Compensatory Reimbursements.

 In Portugal food security is guaranteed since the earlier fifties. Nevertheless since 1994, mainly due to the CAP policy, agro-environmental measures have promoted the support of traditional extensive systems and they have positively contributed a reduction of the pollution provoked by land use practices. 

In 1989/90 there were 625.829 hectares of irrigated utilized agricultural land, amongst which 115 003 hectares corresponded to collective irrigation projects, 352 957 hectares corresponded to individual irrigation projects and 157 869 hectares were assorted. After 1995 there were 88 264 hectares of irrigation projects created by public initiative, which corresponds to an increase of 14 621 hectares between 1995 and 1999. In the period 2000-2006 there will be an increase of equipped irrigation area up to 46 299 hectares promoted by the Institute of Hydraulic, Rural Engineering and Environment (IHERA), the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural development and Fisheries and the Regional Directorates of Agriculture. 26 200 hectares will be promoted by Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infra-estruturas do Alqueva at Alentejo Region (EDIA). IHERA is the institution responsible for putting the "Measure 2 – Reinforcement and optimization of water use in agriculture" forward and/or manage it. It is integrated in the EU Programme "INTERREG IIC – Operational Programme on Land Management and Drought Control in Portugal". 

Additional agriculture area brought under irrigation is as follows:

Area in hectares: 23 115

Percentage of total cultivated land: 0,6%

Rehabilitation of degraded lands (e.g. water-logged and saline areas):

Area in hectares: 86 102

Percentage of total degraded land: not available

The diversification of primary energy sources fundamentally involves an increase in the use of coal and the introduction of natural gas. It is, however, particularly this latter fuel, which has been responsible for a certain degree of reduction of global pollution emission levels. Greater energy efficiency may be achieved through the use of cleaner, more efficient technologies, energy management and minimum cost planning. Traditionally the renewable sources, which have made the greatest contribution to the total consumption of primary energy in Portugal are biomass, particularly forest products and hydropower, although there has been a large increase in the use of solar heating over the last few years. Also in the use of windpower more recently - an increase of 16 GWh to 91 GWh over the four year period between 1995 and 1998. Mature conversion technologies currently exist for all of these resources in the form of reliable equipment, which, in many cases, is commercially competitive with conversion equipment for traditional fuels. According to the most recent statistics, the combustion of biomass adds almost 2 000 ktep per annum to the national energy production statistics, of which most is generated from forest wastes, industrial by-products, waste as well as hydropower with around 1 125 ktep. Whereas geothermal energy (low and high enthalpy) represents around 50 ktep. 1 036 GWh of electricity was produced from biomass in 1997, i.e. around a 3% of the total production of electricity in Portugal, whereas hydropower accounted for 13 175 GWh, around 39% of total electricity production. Geothermal power from the two power stations on the Azorean Island of S. Miguel (Ribeira Grande and Pico Vermelho) already produces 57 GWh (1998 figures). Such a contribution is far from insignificant in light of the scarcity of fossil fuel resources in Portugal.

Challenges

 No information available

Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising 

Professional training actions for farmers, technicians and farmers association was implemented in the scope of the adequate use of land, sustainable agriculture, practices and measures and environmental protection. Also, a Code of Good Practices for the Agriculture was published in order to help the farmers in their practices.

Professional training actions for farmers, technicians and farmers associations was implemented in the scope of the adequate use of land, sustainable agriculture, practices, measures and environmental protection. A Code of Good Practices for the Agriculture was published in order to help the farmers in their practices.

Information 

The national information on sustainable agriculture is available on the site: www.min.aqricultura.pt.

A document was published entitled: "Minimum Preventing Environmental Demands for Land and Water Protection" in cooperation with other institutions of the "Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Portugal", concerning:

• Soil protection against erosion
• Water resources protection
• Air protection

Research and Technologies 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Portugal has a public laboratory for advices on plant nutrition. Besides several university centres are doing research in this scope.

Technologies for the conversion of renewable resources into useful energy forms are reasonably well known. The greater or lesser contribution of these technologies to the energy system of the future does not, however, essentially depend upon the possibility of their physical conversion, but rather on a number of factors, which may favor or prejudice their general use. Several of them are referred below:

1. The temporary irregularity of the materialization of several of the resources (particularly sun and wind), which does not always coincide with energy consumption requirements, requires storage problems to be solved. This will be reflected in the cost of the facilities for conversion into useful energy. In addition the irregular geographical distribution of the resources may limit the zones of possible exploitation, as in the case of geothermal energy, wave or tidal power. Sometimes they are easier to exploit in locations of lesser need, as the use of solar heating which is more available in hot areas.
   
2. Portugal has sufficient renewable resources in terms of quantity to justify an endeavor to exploit them with a view to minimize its energy dependence. Owing to the fact that most of these resources are generally dispersed, the use thereof on the production site may help to improve the organization of manufacturing activities with resulting economic and social effects. Reference should be made to the positive effects, which could be obtained regarding the agricultural development and the living standards of the rural population. A careful choice of locations for the siting of specific industries, conditioned by the availability of renewable energy sources could also improve the exploitation of several processing technologies, owing to the reduction of the transport costs of raw materials and fuel.
   
3. As far as we know, there is a degree of balance between animal and vegetable life and the environment. For example, the ecological repercussions of the placing of solar panels or wind generators in areas encompassing square kilometers (necessary to enable solar or wind power to make a significant contribution to overall energy consumption) are likely to have a not inconsiderable effect in ecological terms. 

Most forms of renewable energy are clean energies to the extent that, unlike conventional energies, they do not produce any appreciable pollution. The more widespread use of biomass will, in principle, avoid major risks of pollution concentration, which occurs in large coal or fuel oil fired power stations. As regards physical space requirements the most feasible energy form in urban centres is solar power for domestic water heating requirements (or even the pre-heating of industrial water). The fact that this resource is not very concentrated may, however, mean major constraints upon its use.

There are also difficulties in rural areas. Hydropower, for example, in the form of large hydroelectric projects usually results in the occupation of large flooded areas. Biomass usually creates difficulties due to that it competes with agricultural land. Reference should also be made to the fact that one of the attractions of renewable energies consists of the secondary aspects resulting from their application. These include such items as the reduction of liquid pollution in farming and cattle raising operations (particularly pig breeding activities) when animal waste is used to produce methane and simultaneously reduces the pollution contained in the resulting effluent.

The use of forest wastes, in forest clearing/cleaning operations can reduce fire risks, and avoid the corresponding damages.

The careful selection of silvicultural species (with a view to the exploitation of forest products and consequent use of waste) could help to avoid soil erosion and the desertification process, which is currently occurring in Portugal. The production of biogas may also have the effect of improving the level of profitability of farming and cattle raising operations and of making them less dependent. This is also the case in the use of agricultural (bark, etc.) or silvicultural (foliage) wastes or activities downstream from forest exploitation activities (sawmills etc.)

4. It is usually the case that energy currently being extracted from the conversion of renewable energy resources is more expensive than that obtained from conventional sources. There are exceptions to this general rule, such as the use of solar power for domestic water heating requirements and electricity production (based on solar or wind power for example) in areas isolated from electricity grids in addition to the use of biogas to generate heat and, eventually, electricity. This cost equilibrium tends, however, to be more favorable in respect of most renewable energy projects, not only on account of the development of conversion technologies and the mass production of the respective equipment, but also owing to the foreseeable increase of the cost of traditional fuel. In addition to the actual cost of the energy unit the expansion of installations for the production of renewable energies is also adversely affected by the major capital expenditure required, particularly in the case of individuals or commercial organizations or small scale manufacturers.


A not insignificant part of the high costs of these technologies is a consequence of the need to store the converted energy. If dams or forests constitute good storage media for hydropower and biomass respectively, the same storage systems in the case of electricity produced by solar power are expensive and require a large area. Thermal energy produced by solar power may be stored in a fluid or solid medium (sand, stone, walls, etc) but for sufficiently short periods of time to avoid situations in which the dimension of the storage system does not have the effect of excessively increasing the installation cost.

Another constraint on the extensive use of these technologies may be the availability of materials, not merely from a quantitative point of view, but also owing to their distance from the location of use. A typical example is provided by "solar lakes", which involve the need to transport large quantities of salt, which represents an important proportion of the total cost.

5. The problems involving the introduction of renewable resources conversion technologies cannot be separated from their implications in a society which evolution is conditioned by the availability of energy. The interaction between territorial planning and people's habits and forms of energy consumption is naturally complex and it would be over-ambitious to make anything other than a general statement of the most obvious expression of such mutual dependence. Accordingly, the trend towards the spatial concentration of populations is obviously not favorable to the use of resources, which are characterized by dispersal, as is the case of most renewable energy sources.

Portugal through INIA (National Institute for Agricultural Research) is a subscriber of the International Undertaking for Plant Genetic Resources. In the scope of FAO, the INIA is responsible for the "in citu" and "ex citu" conservation of "germoplasm".

Financing 

No information available

Cooperation

Portugal through INIA (National Institute for Agricultural Research) is a subscriber of the International Undertaking for Plant Genetic Resources. In the scope of FAO, the INIA is responsible for the "in citu" and "ex citu" conservation of "germoplasm".

The agricultural sector is being adjusted to the European Union's agricultural policies. Portugal cooperates with UNESCO on agricultural issues.

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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies   

The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries is responsible for forest policy. It has one central service, the Directorate General on Forests, and seven regional units integrated in the Regional Agriculture Departments. Other ministries are also involved in forestry matters: The Ministry of Environment and Land Use, the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Employment and Solidarity. The intersectoral coordination of forest policy is therefor assured by an Inter Ministerial Commission for Forest Affairs.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries has one main central forest service, the General Directorate of Forests, and seven regional forest departments integrated in the Regional Agriculture Structure.

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations 

Major developments following UNCED include a new Forestry Policy Act (1996). In Europe the UNCED commitments to SFM were translated by the Resolutions of the Helsinki Conference, of which Portugal is a signatory state. The Forestry Policy Act includes sustainable forestry management as the most important goal, noting the commitments of the Ministerial Conferences. Portugal has also adopted the sustainable forest management criteria and indicators approved in Lisbon Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, Resolution L2.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans  

The Forestry Policy Act (1996) is the major policy instrument in place. The Plan for Sustainable Development of the Portuguese Forests (PSDPF) was developed later in accordance with the IPF agreed principles for national forest Programmes. Together and with other existing policy instruments, they constitute an integrated part of the national forest Programme.

The Land Use Act and the correspondent specific legislation define the policy of land management and urbanization as well as the land management instruments, their relationship and political state. Therefore land use management plans allocate available land to forest use.

Forest policy is linked to agricultural, industrial, environmental, land management, and regional development policies.

Forestry planning is done by Regional Plans of Forest Management "to be applied on a sub-national scale" as well as by Forest Management Plans "to be applied on a State scale". They integrate all aspects of the multiple use of forests.

Until now, demand in external markets for certified products has raised some difficulties concerning the setting of forest products within these markets. There are no clear indications that certification is promoting SFM. National forest policy development has been more effective. The private sector is involved in the Pan European Forest Certification Process in order to respond to external pressures.

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

The interdependence between agriculture, industry, environment, land planning and regional development implies an increasing number of agents whose opinions are being taken into account in forest policy. Major groups are advisory participants in decision-making at the national and district levels and they are ad-hoc participants at the field level. The major groups, which contribute to the forest sector are farmers, the forest industry, their representative associations, local communities and environmental NGO’s. The dialogue with the major groups is done formally in the framework of a Forestry Advisory Council.

Programmes and Projects 

In order to prevent and combat forest fires, Portugal has established a national network of lookout towers and ground patrols. Additionally, there are special projects to improve forest infrastructure, to provide training, to develop safe silvicultural techniques, and to improve the data bank on forest fires.

Status 

Forests are of utmost importance to Portugal, as one-third of the country is covered by forests. The Portuguese Forest is composed of 44% of conifers and 58% of broad leaves. The principal objective of wood production occurs in 58% of the forest, composed essentially of conifers, Pinus pinaster and other pines cultivated for high forest. The forest reserved for the production of other non-wood products (42%) is essentially composed of oaks, chestnut trees and stone pines. 83% of all forests are private property, of which a significant part is integrated into farmland. Given their importance, a strategic shift was made in public administration of forests in recent years, in order to provide more and better services for privately owned forests. Public forests cover an area of 7,3% and are basically composed of coniferous plantations. Three percent are state-owned and consist mainly of pinus pinaster. They are predominant in the coastal region and a subject of management plans, which aim to ensure the sustainable production of quality timber. One quarter of these state forests cover coastal dunes. Their harvesting is governed by preservation guidelines and regeneration is assured by clear felling. Six percent of the forest is managed by industrial enterprises (pulping industries). Forest harvesting is dominated by small-scale enterprises. Present practices satisfy the wood industrys’ needs, but are not adequate for the valuation of forest products. An investment support system is now in progress in order to rationalize and modernize forest-harvesting practices.

Despite the strong occurrence of forest fires (an average of 50,000 hectares burn per year, but there are strong annual variation due to meteorological factors) there has been an expansion in forest area at an annual rate of 0.5% over the past 20 years, due to natural regeneration and the restructuring process of grazing and burned lands (sowing and planting), uncultivated land and marginal agriculture. Forest fires are the main cause of forest loss. The urbanization process and acidification have only a small impact on forest loss and air pollution has a light impact near industrial zones. The fragmentation of forest property, absenteeism of forest owners, and the high level of forest fires are the main obstacles to effective afforestation and reforestation.

Forestry activities provide additional income in rural areas and are an important component of rural development, although no strong relationship exists between forestry and poverty eradication.

According to the Government policy the fight against poverty requires a local approach characterized by the promotion of local employment and vocational training of less favorable people. Having in mind that the rural regions are the poorest areas, several measures were adopted to promote social-economic development in the agriculture and non-traditional activities.

In order to promote the sound use of forest products and avoid substitution by non-renewable materials, a "Wood Seminar" (1997) and a "Cork Seminar" (1998) took place in partnership with the private sector and the Forest authority.

The private sector is launching several initiatives in this regard like the 1^st World Congress on Cork Oak and Cork in June 2000 to be held at Lisbon.

Challenges

No information available

Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising 

Reforestation, afforestation, and improvements of existing forest resources and forest productivity are being promoted and support is available for some specific activities. The existing Programmes for support of the sector are under revision. Forest conservation and protection are being promoted and efforts have been made to raise public awareness of forest issues, including restoration and rehabilitation of degraded land. Improvements have been made in the existing system for the protection against forest fires, including prevention, monitoring and fire risk systems.

There are 5 technical-professional schools, 5 polytechnic institutes and 2 universities, which provide education in the forestry sector. Sixty foresters graduate each year. The forest staff situation is below at the central level and poor at the district and field levels. In the public sector, there is a general lack of technical and research staff and of management, planning and implementation skills. There is also a great need for trained staff in the private sector.

Information 

In accordance with EU regulations for forest protection against air pollution, Portugal is carrying out annual forest assessments. Also permanent observation plots have been established. The impact on forests of pests and diseases is being assessed and monitored, and biological and chemical methods of control have been tested.

The Direction General of Forests has a web page – http://www.dgf.min-agricultura.pt - where the general public can have access to information about major issues and statistic data on forests. Remote sensing is available for the assessment of forest fires and a GIS for the forest sector is being implemented.

Forest inventories are periodical - on a ten-year basis - and the last was carried out in 1995. These inventories cover the whole country and indicate the areas occupied by the main species. They assess the growing stock, increments and age classes for the main timber producing species.

Portugal is participating in the Pan European Process of the Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe and is a signatory state of the Resolution L2 "Pan –European criteria, indicators and operational level guidelines for sustainable forest management" of the Lisbon Conference. Therefor it is deeply engaged in the use of these C&I.

The national report to the Lisbon Conference provides information according to the agreed C&I, which is being used for policy, development and monitoring, namely on the Plan for Sustainable Development of the Portuguese Forests. The adaptation and test of operational level guidelines is under development.

Research and Technologies 

A National Biomass Centre was established, which develops technologies for the utilization of forest biomass, especially for the use of wastes from forests harvesting and industrial processing.

Financing 

No information available

Cooperation

IPF process: Portugal participated actively in the IPF/IFF process, in which it cooperated with Cap Verde and the Senegal Expert Meeting on Rehabilitation of Forest Degraded Ecosystems (Lisbon, 1996) as well as with Chile, Denmark, India and New Zealand and the "International Experts Meeting on the Role of Planted Forests in Sustainable Forest Management" (Chile, April 1999).

Although an exhaustive assessment of IPF proposals was not carried out, a "check list" was conducted and its results strongly influenced the most recent developments in national forest policy. The establishment of a Plan for Sustainable Development of the Portuguese Forests (PSDPF) was considered as the lacking tool for the national forest Programme. Participation of major groups has improved according to IPF orientation and the cross-sectoral nature of forests was emphasizing in this new plan.

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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies   

In Portugal, the responsibilities for spatial planning reside with the national government, although certain responsibilities are delegated to decentralized government departments at a regional level (RCC’s regional co-ordination commissions - non-elected bodies with important spatial planning functions) and local government (municipalities-elected bodies) with decision making powers and responsibilities in determining local development. 

The following ministries are responsible for the planning and management of land resources: the Ministry of Equipment, Planning and Territory Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture , Rural Development and Fisheries, Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of the Environment . In 1994, the Ministry of Equipment, Planning and Territory Administration established a General Directorate for Land Planning and Urban Development (Projecto Lei Bases OT/1997).

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations 

Portugal has a Law on Spatial Planning and Urban Policy since 1998. This law is a framework defining and integrating actions from public administration, in order to ensure an adequate structure and use of the space. It is ordained to achieve integrated sustainable development in an economic, social, cultural and environmental way through different regions and urban centres. The spatial planning concerns three different levels: national, regional and local.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans  

According to the Portuguese planning system the plans at local level must be consistent with the strategies defined in plans prepared at central level of the administration. The Master Plan, when confirmed by the central government, gives the municipality the right to approve Development and Detailed Land Use Plans. Furthermore it is a condition of access to specific central government funding. Namely at local level the tools for full integration of the planning system are much more developed concerning the discussion of local decisions according to the other levels of planning.

As a member of the EU, Portugals' policies are defined accordingly to the 1993 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), particularly concerning the agro-environmental measures and the CAP complementary measures such as afforestation measures, end of farming activities and compensatory reimbursement in unfavorable areas.

At national level:

• National Programme for Spatial Planning Policy, a unifying legislative framework for the spatial planning system to make it more responsive to rapidly changing economic and social conditions. Yet there are no particular results of its implementation. However, in the future this Programme shall facilitate the co-ordination between the responsible bodies for land use policy in order to achieve the integration at different levels and also with the different sectorial policies.

• Sectorial Plans regarding the spatial impacts of economic development
• Special Land Use Plans such as: protected areas, public dams and coastal zones plans

At regional level

• Strategic Regional Plans

At local level

• Intermunicipal Spatial Plans
• Land Use Plans such as: Master Plans (general regulatory zoning instrument covering the territory of the municipality), Development Plans (general frame work for guiding land use changes with development goals in human settlements) and Detailed Plans (more specific than the general zoning and Land Use Plans)

The plan that controls the expansion of the human settlements is the Land Use Plan, nowadays in a reviewing process, trying to manage the urban sprawl. Simultaneously the Spatial Land Use Plans preserved special areas and natural resources with a zoning of different levels of human use from the impacts of the human settlement invasion. Land Use Plans must take into account the land use restrictions related to biological diversity in protected areas and sites designated on the directive "habitats" and also in the natural resources protection law (National Ecological Reserve).

The Special Land Use Plans define special rules for special values namely environmental ones. Those rules overcome those defined by the Land Use Plans, in order to achieve the sustainable use of space, particularly on areas with specific characteristics like protected areas.

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

The National Employment Plans, adopted since 1997, have defined an integrated employment strategy characterized by the adoption of active employment measures aimed not only at creating jobs but at increasing Portuguese workers’ professional qualifications as well as encouraging socio-economic development at local level. In order to improve local and regional development, the Regional Employment Plans were created to add a number of specific objectives and measures adapted to the regional contexts of the different regions, to the four pillars of the National Employment Plan and complete the cover provided by regional Employment Networks. In addition, the States' performance in this field implies joint actions with the community in partnership with the social partners and regional and local bodies and organizations of civil society involved in social and economic development at the regional level.

With the revision of the Framework-Law of the Protected Areas in 1993, local authorities began to participate on the protected area management commission.

Equal opportunities for men and women is a fundamental principle that is horizontally applied in the world of employment, vocational training and support for the creation of companies as expressed in the National Employment Plan. Therefore a Global Plan for Equal Opportunities (Resolution nｺ49/97 of 6 march) was adopted, thus fulfilling one of the commitments of the Beijing Action Platform, which covers many of the areas listed as to deserve special attention. In this area specific measures aimed at promoting equal opportunities have been adopted, namely financial and technical programmes supporting women’s entrepreneurial initiatives by articulation between central administration, local authorities and non-governmental organizations.

Programmes and Projects 

Integrated planning and management of land resources on protected areas has a specific approach, specially concerning the maintaining of rural population and activities, which are the principal managers of these areas. National Programme on nature tourism in protected areas is one of the initiatives to sustain young people and promote social and economic development in these areas.

Status 

Since 1992, 300 ha of public forestland have been transformed into other uses such as industry, social infrastructures, roads, urban expansion, natural gas pipeline and waste treatment equipment. Nevertheless there has been an expansion in forest area at an annual rate of 0.5% over the past 20 years due to natural regeneration and the restructuring process of grazing and burned lands, sowing and planting uncultivated land and marginal agriculture. Main pressures occur in coastal areas for tourism and urban expansion.

One of the Portuguese priorities is to pursue a rural development policy that is aimed at the improvement of the quality of rural life especially in the disadvantaged areas. For this purpose the participation of rural communities is required as well as the creation of basic substructures and investments on modernization of farming systems. The viability of rural areas is also enhanced by the diversification of farmers' activities such as the employment generation for youth and rural tourism. Furthermore these measures lead to the reduction of migration movements that have affected the rural areas in the last few decades. At least agro-environmental measures have been introduced in order to minimize the adverse impacts of pest uses on intensive farming systems in richest areas, thus helping to maintain the extensive farming systems that are predominant in Portugal.

Challenges

No Information available

The general approach of Portugal is to move towards extensification and sustainability on the use of land through implementation of different programmes, which not only emphasize the multifunctional character of agriculture, but also encourage the establishment of young new farmers through special aid programmes associated with land use incentivation of the elder farmers to abandon agricultural activity.

Information 

Regularly Portugal uses different types and methods of land inventories such as satellite image and aerial photograph surveys for monitoring land uses changes and soil, as well as other natural research methods compiling climatic information. Different data concerning human settlements and its dynamics is also available. The timing for all those inventories changes according to the subjects. Different agencies are responsible for updating the data and its diffusion at different levels.

The National Geographical Information System (SNIG), created in 1990, consists of a distributed network based on the Internet, which connects geo-referenced data produced by competent agencies at local, regional and central level. Its' main objective is to promote and guarantee the permanent availability of data that is needed for planning and management activities, particularly for Land Use Planning. The development and implementation of SNIG is coordinated by the National Centre for Geographical Information (CNIG). SNIG provides the access to both graphical (topographic and thematic digital maps, satellite imagery or digital aerial photographs) and alphanumerical information. The data producers determine the access conditions of the information available in the network and are responsible for its quality and updating.

Concerning the local level, the information can be disseminated through all the national territory for the needs of the sustainable management of land resources. Our country profits from special funding support to establish and improve the Geographical Information System (GIS) at the local level.

From a general point of view we can consider that there is a sufficient access to information in Portugal and this is an upgrading process.

Information on land use and land resources about Portugal is namely available on:

The General Directorate of Environment is developing a programme on sustainable development indicators that include indicators on integrated land management and sustainable use of land resources: http://www.dga.min-amb.pt.

Information on protected areas and nature conservation: http://www.icn.pt.

Institute of Meteorology, which is responsible for fulfilling commitments in the Meteorological and Climatology domains and has been responsible for the continued maintenance of 30 synoptical stations and 70 climatological stations, 700 udometric units and 3 aerological stations.

Research and Technologies 

No Information available

Financing 

No Information available

Cooperation

Portugal cooperates inter alia, with the Spanish organization CEDEX, and the EU Programme for Agricultural Development. The EU participated in reviewing national strategies and provided additional post Rio funding. Portugal cooperates with NATO in the areas of watershed development and dam safety.

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